Kevorkian

Dr.JackKevorkian,whoseparticipationinatleast130assistedsuicidesearnedhimthenickname“Dr.Death,”courtedcontroversyinthe1990sbyarguingfordeathwithdignity,andendedupbeingsentencedtoaten-to25-yearprisontermforthe1998deathofThomasYouk.Despiteservingeightandahalfyearsinprison,Kevorkiantodayinsists,“Idon’thaveregrets.Infact,I’mthankful.”<br/>　　DirectedbyMatthewGalkin(HBO’s“IAmanAnimal:TheStoryofIngridNewkirkandPETA”),KEVORKIANpaintsanintimateandsurprisingportraitofthiscomplexmanwhenitdebutsMONDAY,JUNE28(9:00-10:30p.m.ET/PT),exclusivelyonHBO.<br/>　　ThedocumentaryreviewsKevorkian’scontroversial,colorfulcareer,closelyfollowinghislifeafterhis2007parolethroughafailedrunforaCongressionalseatinMichigan’s9thDistrict.Thedocumentaryreveals“Dr.Death”tobeauniquerenaissanceman:aprovocativepainter,composer,quirkyinventor,badmoviemaker(evenhedismisseshisfilmadaptationofHandel’s“Messiah”as“amistake”)andevenworsegolfer.<br/>　　InadditiontoKevorkian’smusingsaboutlife,deathandthefuture,thefilmincludesconversationswithfriends,family,attorneysandjournalists,revealingprivatedetailsthatshapedhisworldview.Thoseinterviewedinclude:GeoffreyFieger,theDetroitlawyerwhobecamealmostasfamousashisclient;renownedlawyerandHarvardprofessorAlanDershowitz;RuthHolmes,Kevorkian’sarchivistandjuryconsultant;hissisterFloraHolzheimer;TVreporterRogerWeber;cellmateDondaleeMcBee,whodescribesKevorkian’sprisonrituals;formerassistantNealNicol;andfellowCongressionalcandidatesJoeKnollenbergandGaryPeters.<br/>　　InhisearlyworkasapathologistKevorkianexaminedcorpsestostudytheprocessofdeathanditsrelationtoorgantransplants.Herecallshowtheagonizingdeathofhismotherfrombonecancer,withherbodywitheringawaytoamere80pounds,inspiredhimtobecome“aone-mandeathcounselor.”Kevorkianwassubsequentlytakenabackbythenumberofrequestshereceivedforassistedsuicides,whichhefacilitatedwithaeuthanasiadeviceofhisownmaking,laterdubbeda“suicidemachine.”<br/>　　Beginningin1990,Kevorkianvideotapedallofhisinterviewswithhispatients,relyingontheserecordingsathistrialstoprovehisclients’sufferingandunderscorethejustnessofhiscause.Then,hemadewhatmanyconsideredaself-destructivemisstep,allowing“60Minutes”toaironeofhistapesinthebeliefhecouldlegalizeassistedsuicideonceandforall.HopingtobringtheissuetotheSupremeCourt,Kevorkianchosetoactashisowndefenseattorney,whichultimatelybackfired.<br/>　　Inprison,KevorkianhappeneduponabookabouttheConstitutionalAmendments,andwasstruckinparticularbytheNinthAmendment,whichsays,“TheenumerationintheConstitution,ofcertainrights,shallnotbeconstruedtodenyordisparageothersretainedbythepeople.”Thoughtheamendmentisconsideredvaguebymany–HarvardLawSchoolprofessorAlanDershowitztoldKevorkianthatSupremeCourtJusticeScaliadeclaredit“ajoke”–Kevorkianinterpretedittoprotecteuthanasia,amongotheractivities,saying,“Dyingisnotacrime.”<br/>　　At79,outonparole,andfrailbutstillbrilliant,Kevorkian’snewfounddevotiontotheNinthAmendmentfueledhisspiritedcampaignforCongressandhisfightfortherightshefeelseveryoneshouldpossess,including,ofcourse,therighttodie.Kevorkiandidn’tacceptcontributionsorbuyanyadvertisingforhiscampaign,norwasheexpectedtobecompetitive.However,somefearedhiscampaignmightstealenoughvotesawayfromtheDemocraticchallengertoallowtheRepublicanincumbenttoretainhisseat,aprospectthatdidn’tbotherhim.“They’rebothcrooks,”Kevorkiandeclareddismissively.<br/>　　KEVORKIANisthestoryofamanwhosecompassionandvisionhavelargelybeenmisunderstood,perhaps,attimes,evenbyhimself.Onejournalistcompareshimto“anOldTestamentprophet.He’sverydisagreeable,hardtotake,nobodyyouwantoverforaweekend,butsomebodywhotellsussomeunpleasanttruths.”<br/>　　ProducerSteveLeeJonesbeganvisitingKevorkianinprisonin1995.AfterKevorkian’srelease,JonesanddirectorMatthewGalkinspentayearfilminghislife.Jonesalsoservedasanexecutiveproduceron“YouDon’tKnowJack,”theHBOFilmsbiographicaldramathatstarredAlPacinoasKevorkiananddebutedinApril.<br/>　　MatthewGalkindirectedandproducedtwopreviousdocumentaries:HBO’s“IAmanAnimal:TheStoryofIngridNewkirkandPETA,”abouttheanimalrightsorganizationanditsenigmaticfounder,namedBestDocumentaryatthe2007HamptonsInternationalFilmFestival;and“loudQUIETloud:AFilmAboutThePixies,”aboutthecultalternative-rockbandandtheir2004reuniontour.HealsoproducedtheHBOdocumentaryseries“FamilyBonds,”aboutafamilyofLongIslandbailbondsmen,andservedasco-executiveproduceroftherealityseries“Kimora:LifeintheFabLane.”